What is it about Flakes and Coins and what's your favorite?

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brass

Lifer
Jun 4, 2014
1,840
7
United States
Wow! I had no idea that there so many flake and plug blends. I populated my wish list at P&C with 30 recommended blends from this thread, and added a few more to my wish list at SmokingPipes.
On a whim, I went to tobaccoreviews.com and searched for all curly cut; flake, plug and krumble Kake blends and their database kicked back a list of 551 matches.
I refined the search to just those that were highly recommended (minimum 3.0 or 4 stars) and there were still 154 blends on the list. I could smoke a different tin of the best stuff, every week for three years without repeating myself.
The only problem is that a tin a week is about the max I would smoke, leaving me little time for my proven favorites, e.g, Prince Albert. :lol:
There are a surprising number of aromatics in the bunch. Not sure why I'm so surprised. I'll get over my prejudice and try some those as well.
I guess I better get on - with it. I'll start with the recommendations here.
BTW, anyone try Hans Wiedemann Director's Cut?
Edit: (The tobbaco review site is very cool. I went back and refined my research to eliminate the blends that are no longer in production. Going with currently available blends leaves me with just 109 blends to try. If I choose to cut out the aromatics, the list is reduced to a manageable 96 highly recommended plugs, kakes, coins, and flakes.)

 

jmatt

Part of the Furniture Now
Aug 25, 2014
770
74
At tobaccoreviews.com try this search: Cut = Flake, Avg Rating = Highly Recommended, Min # Reviews = 50.
The 50 reviews will cut out a couple of great choices like Brigade Campaign Dark Flake, but it will leave you with a list of 38 mostly obtainable very good flakes. I find that a lot of tobaccos with the highest ratings have been reviewed by very few people, which often corresponds blend from local tobacconists or other countries and simply blends you're not likely to easily find.

 

sallow

Lifer
Jun 30, 2013
1,531
3,771
Peterson's Perfect Plug is in my top five. It is a hard plug, and I cut it to a fine shag. It is a nice dark tobacco with a bit of spice and a little fruit. Whenever I open some it goes real fast. A beautiful smoke.
I also can't seem to keep any Capstan Blue around.
Fribourg and Treyer Special Brown. I think I like browns better than goldens.

 

hiplainsdrifter

Part of the Furniture Now
Jan 8, 2012
977
14
I can't believe no one has linked this yet:
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/cigrmasters-list-of-flakes
It doesn't cover latakia flakes, but it is pretty much the bible for Virginia based flakes.
My current favorites:
Gawith St. James Flake

Esoterica Stonehaven

Germain Special Latakia Flake

 

andystewart

Lifer
Jan 21, 2014
3,973
3
I smoke flake/coins and plug almost exclusively, so this is a great thread for me. I have highly-rated flakes in the cellar that I haven't tried yet, like Wessex BCDF, and there are others in my rotation that I like - Peterson Irish Flake and SG Cannon Plug - but if I had to choose 6 blends for my desert island they would be (in no particular order except the DNR):
Dunhill Deluxe Navy Rolls - they are NOT the same as Escudo!

Solani 660 Silver Flake

Capstan Blue

Mac Baren Navy Flake

Revor Plug

HU Dockworker Flake
Good luck on your journey!
Andy

 

escioe

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 31, 2013
702
4
I can't believe no one has linked this yet:
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/cigrmasters-list-of-flakes
It doesn't cover latakia flakes, but it is pretty much the bible for Virginia based flakes.
It's a good list, but it reflects the pretty idiosyncratic tastes of just one guy. For example, there's nothing in here with a significant amount of red Virginia in it. He's said that he can't smoke red Viriginias, but most of us can, and there are a dozen great blends I can think of right off the top of my head that he can't smoke.
Also glaring is the omission of any McClelland flakes.
Also, there are folks who straight up don't like the toppings that cigrmaster seems to like.
Don't get me wrong: that's a fine list of flakes. And taken in conjunction with Paul Szabady's list from the late 90s, which focuses on McClelland tobaccos and a few of the real classic UK flakes, it's probably nearing exhaustive. But we have to remember that we're all individuals, and some of us, including cigrmaster, are even a little more individual in their taste than others.

 

escioe

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 31, 2013
702
4
Here's that list of Szabady's that I mentioned from an alt.smokers.pipes post in 1999.
It's possible and perhaps useful to put flakes into rough strength

categories that coincide with the country of manufacture.

The Danish/Dutch/German flakes tend to be the lightest in flavor

intensity, verging on cavendish-type mildness and flavor and all are

artificially flavored to some degree. Because of this added flavoring

and their light flavor qualities, I haven't found anything from these

countries that really hit the spot. And it hasn't been from lack of

trying...
The UK/US (that is, McClelland, since they are the only US company

producing virginia flake) flakes offer a range of flavor intensity and

nicotine potency to meet my preferences more exactly. I have a core

group of 'default' tobaccos that I always keep on hand and smoke through

them as mood, pipe and season require.
They are: McClelland #2010, #22, Gawith Best Brown and Full Virginia

Flake. These are straight unflavored virginias. I also keep some default

va/perique flakes around; these are McClelland #2015, St. James Woods,

Ashton Black Parrot, Escudo and Three Nuns.
Around this core group I also smoke McClelland Dark Star, #2035, #5115,

Ashton Brindle Flake and Rattrays Brown Clunee and Hal o' the Wynd.
I've attempted to sample all of the virginia flakes on the market over

the last 20 years (an ongoing Odyssey) and am dismayed to find so many

manufacturers adding flavors to their virginias as I don't feel the

tobacco needs them: they have a range of flavor, aroma and sublety that

is only polluted by the addition of flavorings.
The third category is the UK-sourced high nicotine potency bars, twists,

ropes and plugs. These often include a goodly bit of burley to up the

nicotine level, are often flavored and sweetened heavily and while being

generally smooth and mild on the tongue, tend to simpler and more

monotone in taste than the typical bright virginia-dominated flakes.

One's tolerance of nicotine levels will be the primary determinant of

whether one enjoys these tobaccos as many smokers find them too potent

to enjoy, no matter how much they might like the flavor/aroma.
The world of virginia flake is wide and broad enough to match the taste

and strength requirements of almost all smokers, so it is merely a

matter of searching for the Goldilockian ideal 'just right' tobacco.

I've been fortunate enough to find at least 15 that really work for me..
Paul Szabady
There is a wealth of information if you search the alt.smokers.pipes page for 'szabady' and 'flake.' He disappeared from the internet in about 2000, five years before I turned 18, but having spent hours reading the archives, I have found him to be one of a handful of true pipe mentors for me.

 

escioe

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 31, 2013
702
4
And just for fun, here's one more Paul Szabady post from 1999.
If your palate has become accustomed to the flavor intensity of English

mixtures, sampling va/perique flakes first might make for a smoother

taste transition. Yes, Escudo, but also McClelland's 2015, St. James

Woods and Ashton Black Parrot would be the obvious choices. Adding

perique and integrating it seemlessly into the blend (a rare art!)

produces a more intense flavor and aroma while also upping the nicotine

content a bit. It can also cut the sting of bright virginia. Though

never getting as potent in flavor as a turkish or latakia, va/periques

have a unique taste and aroma that is every bit as satisfactory.

If you dive straight into the pure virginia flakes, make sure you take

the time for your palate and your pipe to re-adjust: the carryover of

turkish/latakia in a pipe will mask and distort the subtler flavors of

virginias and lead to fatally erroneous conclusions.
Make sure you smoke very slowly and that you smoke all the way to the

bottom of the bowl: virginia is unique in that it gets better as the

bowl progresses and most devoted virginia smokers will attest that the

bottom 1/4 bowl is the best of the smoke. You might start with

half-bowls to get to the 'good part' quicker; also the bottom of the

bowl needs to be thoroughly caked for the tobacco to reveal its glories.
Smoking a bowl of virginia has many of the characteristics of a good

short story, drama, or musical composition: the arc of its structure is

very similar. Upon lighting one is usually greeted with the initial

rather simple tastes of the virginias in the blend: these are almost the

equivalent of themes and motifs: they are introduced, interplay and

slowly evolve as the smoke progresses. The sweeteness of the virginias

changes, getting more complex - the way brown sugar is more complicated

a taste than white sugar. The effect of these changing sweetnesses at

times evokes a taste sensation of caramelization, but not all virginias

will produce this particualr taste. Often times a deeper complex flavor

emerges - a kind of savory, almost salty flavor that produces a

delicious aroma. The flavors continue to merge, interplay, evolve and

gain in intensity until they reach a climax of flavor, smoothness,

intensity and aroma that lasts all the way to the bottom of the bowl.

This climax can occur as early as 1/4 bowl smoked but should be in full

evidence by half-bowl and absolutely by 2/3 bowl.
In general bright virginias produce the most complicated taste and aroma

and the greatest evolution during the smoke, but sometimes they can cloy

with an unrelenting sweetness and a potential for bite. If smoked

slowly, this bite can ease and disappear. Some tobaccos in this category

would be Esoterica Brighton, Peacehaven, Stokkebye's #701 Virginia Long

Cut and MacBaren's Virginia #1.
The classic va flakes are a blend of various virginia tobaccos: golden

brights and lemons, reds, browns, and stoved or cooked tobaccos that

range in color from brown to black. Depending on the proportion of each

of these tobaccos and the omission or inclusion, the resulting taste can

range from the light zesty and sweet effect of the virginias already

mentioned to a dark rich bite-free taste. In this classic traditional

category would be Butera Golden Cake, Dunhill Light Flake, Capstan

Medium, McClelland 2010 and #22, Rattrays Brown Clunee and Hal o' the

Wynd, and Gawith Best Brown.
As the proportion of red and stoved virginias increases you get a

richer, darker,' fruitier' taste that moves away from citrus

associations and starts evoking nuts, apples and non-acidic fruits.

Tobaccos of this type include McClelland Dark Star, Blackwoods Flake,

Gawith Full Virginia Flake, Rattray's Marlin Flake and Old Gowrie.
As the dark stoved virginias continue to dominate nutty, raisin, date

and other robust flavors emerge. Stoving cuts bite substantially,

darkens and enriches flavor at the cost of simplification but at the

gain of smoothness. Nicotine levels also sometimes rise substantially.

Tobaccos in this category would include Rattrays Dark Fragrant and McC

2035. At the furthest extreme of these types of tobaccos are the twists,

ropes and plugs. These are heavily cooked and steamed, often are heavily

flavored, use coarser grades of virginia (cutter and lug) that is often

fire-cured rather than the classic flue-cured brights. In addition

fire-cured burleys are often included to up the nicotine punch. These

tobaccos produce the largest nicotine punch and are usually quite smooth

and sweet, though somewhat monotone. Don't look for subtlety or

complexity: these are robust strong tobaccos.
Paul Szabady

 

smeigs

Lifer
Jun 26, 2012
1,049
7
I really enjoy the PS flakes. I smoke the bullseye flake and the navy flake from their line on a regular basis. I also enjoy Macbarren Vanilla Cream flake even though Im not big on aromatics I really enjoy that flake.

 

lestrout

Lifer
Jan 28, 2010
1,758
283
Chester County, PA
Yo escio - bodacious contributions there from that Paul Szabady. I wonder what he would add not that we have a bunch of new market entrants? I've noticed that there are some rebranded blends out there; others I surmise are the same base flakes but with tiny mods in toppings.
hp

les

 

escioe

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 31, 2013
702
4
The one I wonder about is Union Square. That would seem to be right up his alley, but there's no way of knowing. Maybe Greg Pease knows. I think they're pals.

 

petes03

Lifer
Jun 23, 2013
6,212
10,653
The Hills of Tennessee
It seems I missed another one!

I was digging through the cellar today, and came across a couple tins of Robert McConnell Latakia Flake.

This is another one I've yet to try. It should be pretty tasty when I get around to it!

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
I would have added plugs to the flakes and coins. I haven't tried coins yet, but I think it's the same idea.

Why are they so good? First I think you get close to the tobacco prepping it, whether you're rubbing it

out or folding it. I think it being stored in somewhat thicker slabs, then opening out the flavor by breaking

up the flake or coin enlivens the flavor, as with crushing or rubbing out spices in cooking. You get the

freshly released essence of the blend, and as you rub it or fold it, you get a lot of fragrance that prepares

you for the smoking experience and adds to it. Flake and plug smokes longer than a comparable weight of

loose tobacco, so you can get a medium size bowl smoke, in length of time, out of a smaller bowl, or a really

prolonged smoke out of a medium or large bowl. A few of my good experiences with other-than-loose

tobacco have been with OGS, Peter Stokkebye Luxury Navy Flake, and Cup O Joes #5 (lesser know but

very fine). I love my various favorite loose tobaccos, but when you have the time, flake, plug, and coin

are a great piping tradition that reward the extra effort.

 

hiplainsdrifter

Part of the Furniture Now
Jan 8, 2012
977
14
He's said that he can't smoke red Viriginias, but most of us can, and there are a dozen great blends I can think of right off the top of my head that he can't smoke.
Also glaring is the omission of any McClelland flakes.
How many real red Virginia flakes are out there? Everything I have tried from McClelland has been broken flake, which doesn't qualify as flake in my book.

 

escioe

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 31, 2013
702
4
Well, if you throw out the McClelland flakes because they come broken, then there probably aren't many red Virginia flakes.
My impression is that most smokers consider stuff like Blackwoods Flake, Dark Star, and #24 to be flake. McCranie's Red Flake comes like that too, as does GL Pease's Union Square.

 

hiplainsdrifter

Part of the Furniture Now
Jan 8, 2012
977
14
Don't get me wrong, I love a good red Virginia, and I think some of the broken flakes are tasty, but I don't know how those companies can seriously call the stuff a flake- compared to pulling a perfectly rectangular beauty from a tin of Freibourg and Treyer or something. It seems like it would be more accurate to call it 'flake aged' or something.

 

carcosa

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 21, 2013
207
85
Tie between Dunhill Deluxe Navy Rolls and Pete's Irish Flake.

 

andystewart

Lifer
Jan 21, 2014
3,973
3
Thanks for the names guys - the list just got longer with blends I'd forgotten like MB Virginia #1 and Ashton Black Parrot. Also Dark Star, which I've always avoided because of the reputed difficulties in prepping and lighting, but which should definitely have a run.
Andy

 
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